Loose-leaf binder



April 1929. R. M. VAN VALKENBURGH 1,710,492 LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed May 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Van \lalkenfiu r eh April 1929- R. M. VAN VALKENBURGH 1,710,492

LOOSE LEAF HINDI-1R 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Filed May 1926 I INVENTOR. Rluhard M-Va11 Yalkenlzurah FTORNE Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

nm-TEn STATES PATENT Brennan VAN VALK-ENBURGH, on Kansas. CITY, 1\IISSOURI,-.ASSIGNOR TO IRVING- rrrr iaaivnnaornnine consent, or nansnscrry, MIssoUn A. conrone'rron.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

.Application filed May 7; 1926. Serial No. 107,412.

ing force against the two leaf-supporting' members to snap them to the open position when the novel locking device is released.

It is well known in the art that post binders of the character set forth do not have what is termed one hundred per cent expansion, thatis, the distance between the leafsupporting members when open is not twice the distance between the same when closed.

Another object of the instant invention is, therefore, to provide binder which has one hundred per cent expansion and which is adapted to be used with the well known binder-channel without alteringthe same.

Yet a further object of this invention is the contemplation of a loose leaf binder back which has simple and durable mecha nism for locking and unlocking the movable leaf supporting members in any predeter mined position, which mechanism is quickly operated, strong and positive in its action, and includes but comparatively few parts.

A still further object of this invention' is the provision of a lock-operating device which is movable from the locked to the unlocked position through a very slight movement of the actuating key. I

The many novel features of the present invention are hereinafter fully set forth in the specification referring to the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a loose leaf binder back, made in accordance with the invention and showingthe leaf-supporting members in the extended position.

2 is a similar view with the leafsupporting members in the closed position,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central section taken on; line 111-111 of Fig. 2.

back'taken on line lV-IV, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a similar section taken on line VV of Fig. 2. i v

F 6 is an enlarged detail fragmentary perspective view showing the lock and operating member. i

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the dogs entirely removed from the mechanism,

and,

F 8 is a fragmentary plan View show- Fig. 4 is a cross section through the binder ing another manner in which theends. of

the leaf-supporting ably interconnected. I

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and the numeral 9 designates a back member which members may he slid.-

arcuate in cross section, and carries the usual end caps. or supporting pieces 10.

A pair of leaf-supporting members 12 and 13 respectively. are preferablyformed of right-anglcd plates, one of the sides of each of which, carry posts 14 adapted to telescope with tubes like members.

members 12 and 13'areinountedon back 9 for movement toward and from each other by bracket 16, rigidly secured. to the inner side of back 9 and below and. intermediate the members 12 and 13, as shown in Fig. 1. The means for slidably mountingthese leafsupporting. members also includes. the looking device, and is here illustrated in one embodiment to be the abovermentioned bracket 16, each of the two sides of which has a slot 17 formed therethrough to re ceive arms 18 and 19, extending laterally from members 12 and, 13 respectively, These arms slidably engage and overlap each other, arm 19. riding overthe, top of arm 18, and may be locked against movement by apair of locking. dogs 20 and-21, each of which has a slot 22 and, 23 respectively which registers with slots 17 in bracket 16 when in place, and through which arms 18 and 19 pass. An opening 2 1 out in the top wall of bracket 16 receives jaws25 nd 26 of dogs 20 and 21 respectively, allows both to rest on the projected portion or arm of one leaf holding. member and permits them to rock when. the depending walls are forced apart by the lock-actuating shaft 27.

To carry out one of the main features of the invention, which is to procure. onehun- 15 mounted on. opposite dred per cent expansion, each of members 12 and 13 has a slot S and S respectively, throu h which the ends of arms 19 and 18 respectively pass when the binder is closed as shown in Fig. 5. These ends of arms 18 and 19 are projected into and housei within the well-known binder channel, (not here shown), which is aliixcdto the sides of members 12 and 13 when the device is assembled.

The use of the hereindescribcd novelly constructed lock permits arms 18 and 19 to overlap to the extent just forte, and makes it possible to quickly secure the binder in any adpisted position.

The lock-actuating sl rrt, which n v be made in other forms it oesired, is ada ted to be moved longitudinally of the back and is supported tor rotary and longitudinal movement, at its innermost end by pinile 28, 'journalled in a wall oi bracket 16 as shown in Fig. 3. lhe other end thereol disposed adjacent opening 29 in end cap 10, and is squared as at 80, or otherwise formed to be engaged by a key or he like. it portion of the length of shalt 2? is screwlhreaded as at 31 and. passes through zapped openings in bracket 32 which causes a tudinal movement when the shaftis A. conical or wedge portion 33 is to" ii on that part of the sh art 27 passing between the walls of dogs and 21., and torces the jaws and 26 respectively thereof down wardly when rotated to cause threads '23 i'orce it in the direction oi arrow in i? This action iulcrums the jaws oi? the to a position from the released position. shown in Fig. 4, to the grippiiiig or 'lced position, shown in Fig. 5. lit is to be noticcd that the slots 22 and 22.1 in dog 21) and 21 respectively are wide enough to permit this action, nd when e arms 18 and 19 are so pressed togeth r, they will not pull apart or be allowed to take on relative sliding movement.

It has been found desirable to grinning pressure evenly alon t and 26 by torming a rib eel depending wall of each dog. action is even and the force imparted from the wedge portion is equally distributed.

It is an advantage, in making tae deg-op crating wed 'e portion 33, to construct the same with an angle or pitch great enough to permit actuating the dogs 20 and 21 from thc locked to the unlocked position, or vice versa, when the shalt 2? given one complete turn. his action is also based upon the relation of the screw threads to the angle of port-ion 33, and these parts should all be correlated to permit locking or unlocking of the dogs with the slightest ossible movement of shaft 27.

When the herein described locking parts are released, it is desirable to have means Lima-lee for opening the leaf-supporting members 12 and 18. Tins means 1:01 opening the merry hers may be in the form 01 a 111' ol springs 85, aliixed as at 36 to each member 12 and 13, and always exerting a yielding outward pressure to urge the members apart.

Guide or movement-controlling mechanism is also provided adjacent each end of the binder back 9, which comprises the brackets 32 and 32, to each of which is pivotally aliined as at 37, an arm 88 which extends equidistantly on each side of the pivot pin 37 to pivotally engage one end of links 39 and 40, the other ends of which are pivotally secured to leaf-supporting members 12' and 18 respectively. Pivotal point 37 is centrally located between members 12 and 13, and through this arm and link construction, the travel of each member 12 and 13 away from the center 01 back 9 is maintained at the same speed. A stop pin ll should be positioned in the path of travel of each arm 38 to limit the movement of all parts.

It is obvious that no lost motion or play can possibly be present in a binder con structed in accordance with this invention. if desired, in lieu of the arm and link device, pairs of arms and 51, having slots 52 and respectively, may be secured to leaf-s1ipporting members 12 and 13 respectively is shown in the modified form, Fig. 8 with both slots engaging a pin on brackets While one desirable form of the binder and its various parts has been shown, it is desired to be limited in the construction of the same only by the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a loose leai binder, two leaf-supporting members movable relative to each other each having a portion thereof slid ably overlapping a like portii'in oi the other, means, including a pair of dogs, or maintaining s id overlapped portions in sliding engagement and means movable to position between said dogs for causing the same to hold the members against relative movement.

2. in a loose leaf binder, two leaf-supporting members movable relative to each other, means, including a pair of slotted fulcrumed dogs, for securing said members against movement and means adapted to actuate each oi? said dogs to the locked position, each of said leaf-supporting members havinga portion passing through the slots through said dogs.

3. in a loose leaf binder, two leaf-supporting members movable relative to each other, means, including a pair of slotted a pair of leaf-supporting members carriedv thereby for movement toward and from each other transversely of said back member, a lock including a pair of-fulcrumed dogs adapted to secure said supporting members against movement and means for actuating said dogs, both dogs of said lock being slid ably engaged by a portion of each of the two leaf-supporting members (3. In a loose leaf binder, a back member, a pair of leaf-supporting members carried thereby for movement toward and from each other, an arm extending from each leaf-supporting member to slidably overlap each other, a lock including a pair of z-o-acting dogs for securing said arms against movement and means entering between said dogs for actuatingsaid lock from the end of said back member.

T. In a loose leaf binder, two leaf-supporting members, a laterally extending arm integral with each member, a pair of locking dogs adapted to grip said arms and means ror moving said dogs to the locked position; a Y

8. In a loo'se'leaf binder, a back member, a pair of leaf-supporting members carried thereby for movement toward and from each other, each leaf-supporting member having an arm extending therefrom adapted to slidably overlap the arm of the other, a lock for securing said arms against relative iovenient including a pair of dogs each having a slot formed in its depending body wall through which said overlapped arms pass and a jaw, for engaging one of said arms, and means for actuating said lock including wedge member adapted to enter between the walls of said dogs.

9.111 a loose leaf binder, a back member, a pair of leaf-supporting members carried thereby for movement toward and from each other, an arm extending from each leaf-supporting member adapted to slidably overlap each other, a lock for securing said arms against relative movement-comprising a bracket secured to said back having slots in the opposite sides thereof, a pair of dogs each having a slot formed in the depending wall thereof and a jaw projectingat an angle along its upper edge, said jaws of the dogs being disposed toward each other to rest on one of the two overlapping arms which pass through all of said slots and a lock-actuating means including a; wedge adapted to enter between the depending walls of said dogs, whereby the jaws thereof are caused to lock overlapped arms against,

mevem ent.

10. In a loose leaf binder, movable leafholding members, resilient means for forcing said members apart and manually operable means for locking said members against relative movement including a pair of ful crumed dogs each having a jaw engaging a portion of one leaf-holding member and means for moving each of said dogs in'to the locking position.

11. Ina loose leaf binder, a back member,

a pair of leaf-supporting members carried thereby for movement toward and from each other transversely of said back member, each leaf-supporting member having an arm extending therefrom adapted to overlap the arm of the other, a: lock including a pair of jaws for gripping said arms to hold the same against relative movement and'means ,for moving said jaws to the locking posi tion, including a shaft having a jaw-operating member thereon, said shaft being adapted when rotated to move said member to and from the jaw-engaging position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

RICHARD M. VAN VALKENBURGH. 

